Study shows Gen Z men are more than happy to pay the bill on date night: 'Traditional pattern is still there'

There has been an ongoing discussion about Gen Z men and their behavior when it comes to date nights. Many people have shared experiences stating that the men of the younger generations are not as traditional and authentic as millennials and boomers. Many women miss the chivalry of holding the doors, getting flowers and even paying the bills on dates. However, a study shows that younger males are more than happy to engage in this chivalrous and charming practice, per The New York Post. Moreover, the study has women are enchanted by this supposed green flag behavior.

A survey was conducted on 552 heterosexual college students by the National Library of Medicine, which revealed that Gen Z men are happy to pay the bills when out on dates. 90% of the men have reportedly paid for dates as a selfless act and as part of traditional date etiquette. 8% split the bills with their female counterparts and 2% of dates saw women paying the complete bill. Shanhong Luo, a professor at Fayetteville State University, who conducted the research, noted, “The traditional pattern is still there,” per The New York Times. When it comes to the reasoning behind who pays the bill, it is believed that many younger people initially connected the act with gender equality—males and females splitting the bill. However, over time, the idea has changed to a more logical and thoughtful approach. 

A 27-year-old woman explained, “Gender equality didn’t mean men and women should pay the same when they went out. Females earn less than men in the workplace, spend more time getting ready for outings and pay more for reproductive care.” Another 24-year-old woman, Kala Lundahl, said she doesn’t mind splitting but would prefer if men covered the bill. In her dating experience, she has often encountered refusal when she offered to split. “A couple of guys get a little stiff when I offer to pay. You can tell they’re not comfortable with that idea,” she recounted. 

For some younger men, it's their upbringing, for others just their mindset and still others offer to pay because they’re usually earning more or so, per The Seattle Times. More Gen Z men were glad to oblige and shell out those dollars solo on their dates. Scott Bowen, a 24-year-old, shared his point of view. He mentioned he “always paid for drinks, meals and coffees on dates.” The amount mostly revolved between $70 and $100, but there was no doubt as to who would cover it. Another 27-year-old man, Kent Barnhill, noted that he makes it clear that he’s going to be the one paying. 

“I always establish beforehand that I want to pay. The fact I’m paying more does not bother me,” he said. Barnhill added that splitting the costs would be a more economical thing to do later as the relationship progresses. When it comes to homogeneous dates with two men in the picture, the cost is often split. However, even there, one of the men offers to cover the bill. 24-year-old Brendan Foley noted that most of his dates with men saw the splitting of checks. However, he added that when one person paid, it was either the older man or the man who was believed to be earning more.